Nissan US to launch eight models within 12 months

Nissan is stepping up its US assault with an aggressive range of new vehicles and strategies aimed to establish itself as one of the nation’s strongest automotive companies.

Within the next 12 months, Nissan will launch eight new or updated models, ranging from electric vehicles to sports cars, and luxury sedans to vans and SUVs.

First will be the six-cylinder M37 and the V8 M56 from Infiniti, due to arrive in the second quarter. The 40th anniversary edition of the 370Z will join it around the same time.

Mid-year will bring the Infiniti QX56 SUV (based on Patrol architecture), while the Nissan Juke – compact SUV closely resembling the Qazana concept, to be unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show in March – will become available from September.

An all-new Infiniti model – which some are speculating to be the Infiniti M35 hybrid – will be released sometime in the third quarter with a brand new powertrain.

The NV 2500 will become Nissan’s first attempt at a full-size commercial van for the US market in November, with the Quest minivan joining in January 2011.

The all-electric Nissan Leaf rounds out the newcomers, due to hit selected showrooms in December.

The Japanese company announced in Detroit on Monday that AeroVironment will supply home charging stations for Leaf customers in the US, and although the final pricing is still to be decided, said the technology will be sold at the dealer as “part of the vehicle’s total driving system”.

The Leaf will take eight hours to fully charge via the AeroVirnoment station.

Finally, Nissan has announced that it is developing a new global “V platform” that will underpin its next wave of ultra-small cars.

It plans to produces three vehicles on the platform, with two to be sold in the US for as little as US$10,000 (AUD$10,800).

Nissan is not talking equipment levels or timing on the new baby cars – set to replace the Micra sold in overseas markets – but is committed to the low price point and global production of one million units per year out of five plants.